Campaigning With Grant [Illustrated Edition]

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Text originally published in 1897 under the same title.

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Publisher’s Note

Although in most cases we have retained the Author’s original spelling and grammar to authentically reproduce the work of the Author and the original intent of such material, some additional notes and clarifications have been added for the modern reader’s benefit.

We have also made every effort to include all maps and illustrations of the original edition the limitations of formatting do not allow of including larger maps, we will upload as many of these maps as possible.

Campaigning with Grant

by

General Horace Porter

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS 5

DEDICATION 6

MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS 7

Preface 9

Chapter 1 10

My First Meeting With General Grant — A Conference At Thomas’s Headquarters — Grant’s Manner Of Writing Despatches — Opening The Cracker Line — Grant Saluted By The Enemy — Grant’s Personal Appearance 10

Chapter 2 20

A Higher Grade Created For Grant — Grant’s First Meeting With Lincoln — In Command Of All The Armies — Interview With Stanton — Grant In A Communicative Mood — At General Meade’s Headquarters — Grant’s Narrow Escape From Capture — Grant’s Enormous Responsibility — Grant’s Personal Staff 20

Chapter 3 31

Preparations For A General Advance — Grant’s Reasons For Moving By The Left Flank — His Instructions To His Staff — Grant’s Numerical Strength Offset By Lee’s Strategical Advantage — Crossing The Rapidan — The Headquarters Mess — On The Eve Of Battle —Longstreet’s Estimate Of Grant — An Early Breakfast At Headquarters — Grant And Meade Pitch Tents In The Wilderness — Grant Hears Of The Death Of An Old Comrade — A Conference Between Grant And Meade 31

Chapter 4 44

Grant’s Preparations For The Second Day In The Wilderness — Hancock Flushed With Victory — Grant At A Critical Moment — The Crisis Of The Wilderness — Grant’s Demeanor On The Field — Grant’s Peculiarities In Battle — Grant’s Confidence In Success — The General-In — Chief As Aid To A Drover — Confusion Caused By A Night Attack — Grant Administers A Reprimand — Grant After The Battle — The Wilderness A Unique Combat 44

Chapter 5 53

Grant’s Third Day In The Wilderness — Hail To The Chief! — A Night Alarm — A Midnight Ride — Grant Roughs It With His Troops — Out Of The Wilderness —Sheridan Ordered To Crush Jeb Stuart — A Chapter Of Accidents — Grant In Front Of Spottsylvania — The Death Of Sedgwick — Arrival Of Despatches-I Shall Take No Backward Steps 53

Chapter 6 65

Communicating With Burnside — Grant Attacks The Enemy’s Center — How A Famous Message Was Despatched — News From The Other Armies — Preparing To Attack The Angle — An Eventful Morning At Headquarters — Two Distinguished Prisoners — How The Angle Was Captured — Scenes At The Bloody Angle 65

Chapter 7 78

Grant And Meade — Field Diversions — Seizing Vantage — Ground — Grant And The Wounded Confederate — Grant’s Toilet In Camp — Important Despatches — Through Rain And Mud — Grant And The Dying Soldier — Bad News 78

Chapter 8 86

Attempt To Turn The Union Right—Bill — Grant’s Unprotected Headquarters — Grant And The Virginia Lady — A Race For The North Anna — A Noonday Halt At Mrs. Tyler’s 86

Chapter 9 93

Grant Crosses The North Anna — Sheridan Returns From His Raid — Meeting Between Grant And Burnside — Destroying A Railroad — The Enemy Reinforced — A Female Oddity — Grant Recrosses The North Anna 93

Chapter 10 101

Grant Crosses The Pamunkey — Manoeuvering For Position — Grant Interviews A Prisoner — Region Of The Totopotomoy — Grant Seizes Old Cold Harbor — W. F. Smith’s Troops Join The Army Of The Potomac — Grant Disciplines A Teamster — Grant’s Fondness For Horses — Moving Into Position — The Halt At Bethesda Church 101

Chapter 11 112

Strength Of Lee’s Position At Cold Harbor — Why Grant Assaulted At Cold Harbor — A Notable Instance Of Courage — Battle Of Cold Harbor — After The Battle —Grant’s Comments On Cold Harbor — Grant’s Hammering 112

Chapter 12 118

Grant Decides To Cross The James — Sufferings At The Front — Grant’s Visitor From The Pacific Slope — An Important Mission — Dealing With A Libeler Of The Press — Losses — Grant Relates Some Anecdotes 118

Chapter 13 125

The Start For The James — Grant’s Secretiveness — Stealing A March On The Enemy — The Passage Of The James — A Brilliant Spectacle — General W. F. Smith’s Attack On Petersburg — Donning Summer Uniform 125

Chapter 14 132

Petersburg — Lee Mystified As To Grant’s Movements — A Change Of Complexion — Meade In Action — Condition Of The Army —Grant’s Camp At City Point — Grant At The Mess — Table 132

Chapter 15 138

Lincoln’s First Visit To Grant’s Camp — Lincoln At The Front — Some Anecdotes By Lincoln — Movement Against The Weldon Railroad — Swapping Horses — Sheridan Returns — Where Pocahontas Saved John Smith — General James H. Wilson’s Raid — The Staff Enlarged 138

Chapter 16 148

A Disappointed Band — Master — Hunter’s Raid — Early’s Raid On Washington —Grant As A Writer — Grant Devotes Attention To Sherman —Grant’s Treatment Of His Generals — Grant’s Equanimity —Grant As A Thinker — Why Grant Never Swore — Meade And Warren — Seward Visits Grant 148

Chapter 17 161

Preparing The Petersburg Mine — Exploding The Mine — Grant’s Adventure Between The Lines — Failure Of The Assault At The Mine — A New Command For Sheridan — An Infernal Machine Exploded Near Headquarters 161

Chapter 18 171

The Storming Of Newmarket Heights — A Draft Ordered — Battle Of The Weldon Railroad — Battle Of Reams’s Station — General Grant’s Family Visit Him — The Relations Between Grant And Sherman — A Mission To Sherman — The Captor Of Atlanta — An Evening With General Thomas 171

Chapter 19 182

Grant Visits Sheridan — Good News From Winchester — Grant Under Fire At Fort Harrison — Consternation In Richmond — Secretary Stanton Visits Grant — How Grant Received The News From Cedar Creek 182

Chapter 20 190

Grant’s Narrow Escape At Hatcher’s Run — Discussing The March To The Sea — Why Grant Never Held Councils Of War — How The March To The Sea Was Conceived And Executed 190

CHAPTER 21 197

Grant Suggests A Plan For Voting In The Field—Grant Visits New York—A Philadelphia Ovation To Grant—Grant And Lincoln In Conference—Grant’s Winter Quarters At City Point—General Ingalls’s Spotted Dog—Grants Intercourse With His Associates—Correspondence With General Thomas 197

Chapter 22 207

Planning The First Fort Fisher Expedition — Grant’s Aversion To Liars — Reminiscences Of Grant’s Cadet Life — Grant Orders Thomas To Move Against Hood — Thomas Crushes Hood 207

Chapter 23 218

Senator Nesmith Visits Grant — Sherman Reaches The Sea — Coast — Butler’s Expedition Against Fort Fisher — Grant’s Children At City Point 218

Chapter 24 225

Capture Of Fort Fisher — The Dutch Gap Canal — Grant Receives Unasked Advice — Grant Relieves Butler — Sherman’s Loyalty To Grant — A Good Shot — Night Attack Of The Enemy’s Ironclads — How Grant Became A Confirmed Smoker — Grant Offers His Purse To His Enemy — Grant Receives The Peace Commissioners 225

Chapter 25 236

Grant Plans The Spring Campaigns — The President’s Son Joins Grant’s Staff — Lee Asks A Personal Interview — A Visionary Peace Program — High Prices In Richmond — Grant Receives A Medal From Congress — Shaving Under Difficulties — Arrival Of Sheridan’s Scouts 236

Chapter 26 244

Grant Draws The Net Tighter Around The Enemy — President Lincoln’s Last Visit To Grant — Grant’s Foresight — Attack On Fort Stedman — The President Tells Some Anecdotes — Mr. Lincoln’s Kindness To Animals —Sheridan’s Final Orders — The President Reviews The Army Of The James 244

Chapter 27 253

Meeting Of Grant And Sherman At City Point — Amusing Colloquy Between Mrs. Grant And Sherman — Meeting Of Sherman And Sheridan — The Famous Conference Aboard The River Queen — Grant Starts On His Last Campaign — Storm — Bound — Grant And Sheridan Confer — Grant On Warren’s Front — Carrying Instructions To Sheridan 253

Chapter 28 263

The Movement Against Five Forks — The Battle Of Five Forks — Carrying The News Of Five Forks To Grant — Grant Prepares To Assault The Petersburg Lines — Capturing The Works At Petersburg — Grant Writes Despatches Under Fire — Capture Of Forts Gregg And Whitworth 263

Chapter 29 271

Grant Enters Petersburg — Lincoln At Petersburg — In Hot Pursuit Of Lee — Grant Makes A Night Ride To Reach Sheridan — Grant Hurries On To Farmville — Grant At Farmville — Grant Opens A Correspondence With Lee — The Ride To Curdsville — Grant Suffers An Attack Of Illness — More Correspondence With Lee 271

Chapter 30 281

Grant’s Ride To Appomattox — How Lee Reached Mclean’s House — Meeting Between Grant And Lee — Brief Discussion As To The Terms Of Surrender — Drafting The Terms, And The Acceptance —Grant’s Consideration For The Confederate Privates — Rations For The Paroled Army 281

Chapter 31 293

After The Surrender — Grant’s Final Conference With Lee — The Dawn Of Peace — Grant Avoids A Visit To Richmond — His Respect For Religion — Grant’s Enthusiastic Reception At Washington — His Last Interview With Lincoln — John Wilkes Booth Shadows Grant — Grant’s Interrupted Journey — Lincoln’s Assassination 293

Chapter 32 302

Sherman’s Terms To Joseph E. Johnston — The End Of Hostilities — The Grand Review At Washington — Grant’s Place In Military History 302

REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER 310

MAPS 311

I – CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE MAPS - 1861 311

Charleston Harbor, Bombardment of Fort Sumter – 12th & 13th April 1861 311

1st Bull Run Campaign – Theatre Overview July 1861 312

Bull Run – 21st July 1861 313

1st Bull Run Campaign – Situation 18th July 1861 314

1st Bull Run Campaign – Situation 21st July 1861 (Morning) 315

1st Bull Run Campaign - 21st July 1861 Actions 1-3 p.m. 316

1st Bull Run Campaign - 21st July 1861 Union Retreat 4 P.M. to Dusk 317

II – CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE MAPS - 1862 318

Battle of Mill Springs – 19th January 1862 (6-8.30 A.M.) Confederate Attacks 318

Battle of Mill Springs – 19th January 1862 (9 A.M.) Union Attacks 319

Forts Henry and Donelson – 6th to 16th February 1862 320

Battle of Fort Donelson – 14th February 1862 321

Battle of Fort Donelson – 15th February 1862 Morning 322

Battle of Fort Donelson – 15th February 1862 Morning 323

New Madrid and Island No. 10 – March 1862 324

Pea Ridge – 5th to 8th March 1862 325

First Battle of Kernstown – 23rd March 1862, 11 – 16:45 326

Shiloh (or Pittsburg Landing) - 6th & 7th April 1862 327

Battle of Shiloh – 6th April 1862 - Morning 328

Battle of Shiloh – 6th April 1862 – P.M. 329

Battle of Yorktown – 5th to 16th April 1862 330

Jackson’s Valley Campaign – 24th to 25th May 1862 - Actions 331

Williamsburg – 5th May 1862 332

Fair Oaks – 31st May to 1st June 1862 333

Battle of Seven Pines – 31st May 1862 334

Seven Days – 26th June to 2nd July 1862 335

Seven Days Battles – 25th June to 1st July 1862 - Overview 336

Seven Days Battles – 26th & 27th June 1862 337

Seven Days Battles – 30th June 1862 338

Seven Days Battles – 1st July 1862 339

Battle of Gaines Mill – 27th June 1862 2.30 P.M. Hill’s Attacks 340

Battle of Gaines Mill – 27th June 1862 3.30 P.M. Ewell’s Attacks 341

Battle of Gaines Mill – 27th June 1862 7 P.M. General Confederate Attacks 342

Pope’s Campaign - 24th August 1862 343

Pope’s Campaign - 28th August 1862 A.M. 344

Pope’s Campaign - 28th August 1862 6 P.M. 345

Second Battle of Bull Run – 28th August 1862 346

Second Battle of Bull Run – 29th August 1862 10 A.M. 347

Second Battle of Bull Run – 29th August 1862 12 P.M. 348

Second Battle of Bull Run – 29th August 1862 5 P.M. 349

Pope’s Campaign – 29th August 1862 Noon. 350

Second Battle of Bull Run – 30th August 1862 3 P.M. 351

Second Battle of Bull Run – 30th August 1862 4.30 P.M. 352

Second Battle of Bull Run – 30th August 1862 5 P.M. 353

Battle of Harpers Ferry – 15th September 1862 354

Antietam – 16th & 17th September 1862 355

Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 Overview 356

Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 6 A.M. 357

Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 7.30 A.M. 358

Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 9 A.M. 359

Battle of Antietam – 17th September 1862 10 A.M. 360

Iuka – 19th September 1862 361

Battle of Iuka – 19th September 1862 362

Corinth – 3rd & 4th October 1862 363

Second Battle of Corinth – 3rd October 1862 364

Second Battle of Corinth – 4th October 1862 365

Perryville – 8th October 1862 366

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 2 P.M. 367

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 3 P.M. 368

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 3.45 P.M. 369

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 4 P.M. 370

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 4.15 P.M. 371

Battle of Perryville – 8th October 1862 – 5.45 P.M. 372

Fredericksburg – 13th December 1862 373

Battle of Fredericksburg – 13th December 1862 Overview 374

Battle of Fredericksburg – 13th December 1862 Sumner’s Assault 375

Battle of Fredericksburg – 13th December 1862 Hooker’s Assault 376

Battle of Chickasaw Bayou – 26th to 29th December 1862 377

Stone’s River – 31st December 1862 378

Battle of Stones River – 30th December 1862 379

Battle of Stones River – 31st December 1862 – 8.00 A.M. 380

Battle of Stones River – 31st December 1862 – 9.45 A.M. 381

Battle of Stones River – 31st December 1862 – 11.00 A.M. 382

III – CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE MAPS - 1863 383

Battle of Stones River – 2nd January 1863 – 4 P.M. 383

Battle of Stones River – 2nd January 1863 – 4 P.M. 384

Battle of Stones River – 2nd January 1863 – 4.45 P.M. 385

Chancellorsville Campaign (Hooker’s Plan) – April 1863 386

Battle of Chancellorsville – 1st May 1863 Actions 387

Battle of Chancellorsville – 2nd May 1863 Actions 388

Chancellorsville – 2nd May 1863 389

Chancellorsville – 3rd to 5th May 1863 390

Battle of Chancellorsville – 3rd May 1863 Actions 6 A.M. 391

Battle of Chancellorsville – 3rd May 1863 Actions 10 A.M. – 5 P.M. 392

Battle of Chancellorsville – 4th to 6th May 1863. 393

Battle of Brandy Station – 8th June 1863 394

Siege of Vicksburg – 25th May to 4th July 1863 395

Siege of Vicksburg – 19th May 1863 - Assaults 396

Siege of Vicksburg – 22nd May 1863 - Assaults 397

Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 398

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 Overview 399

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 7 A.M. 400

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 10 A.M. 401

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 10.45 A.M. 402

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 11 A.M. 403

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 12.30 P.M. 404

Battle of Gettysburg – 1st July 1863 2 P.M. 405

Gettysburg – 2nd to 4th July 1863 406

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Lee’s Plan 407

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Overview 408

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Cemetary Ridge A.M. 409

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Culp’s Hill – Initial Defence 410

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Culp’s Hill – Evening attacks 411

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Hood’s Assaults 412

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Peach Orchard Initial Assaults 413

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Peach Orchard and Cemetary Ridge 414

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Wheatfield – Initial Assaults 415

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Wheatfield – Second Phase 416

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Cemetery Hill Evening 417

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Little Round Top (1) 418

Battle of Gettysburg – 2nd July 1863 Little Round Top (2) 419

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 Overview 420

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 – Pickett’s Charge 421

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 – Pickett’s Charge Detail 422

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 Culp’s Hill – Johnson’s Third Attack 423

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 East Cavalry Field – Opening Positions 424

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 East Cavalry Field – First Phase 425

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 East Cavalry Field – Second Phase 426

Battle of Gettysburg – 3rd July 1863 South Cavalry Field 427

Battle of Gettysburg – Battlefield Overview 428

Fight at Monterey Pass – 4th to 5th July 1863 429

Chickamauga – 19th & 20th September 1863 430

Chickamauga Campaign – Davis’s Crossroads – 11th September 1863 431

Chickamauga Campaign – 18th September 1863 After Dark 432

Battle of Chickamauga – 19th September 1863 Morning 433

Battle of Chickamauga – 19th September 1863 Early Afternoon 434

Battle of Chickamauga – 19th September 1863 Early Afternoon 435

Battle of Chickamauga – 20th September 1863 9 A.M. to 11 A.M. 436

Battle of Chickamauga – 20th September 1863 11 A.M. to Mid-Afternoon 437

Battle of Chickamauga – 20th September 1863 Mid-Afternoon to Dark 438

Battle of Chickamauga – 20th September 1863 Brigade Details 439

Chattanooga – 23rd to 25th November 1863 440

Chattanooga Campaign – 24th & 25th November 1863 441

Chattanooga Campaign – Federal Supply Lines and Wheeler’s Raid 442

Battle of Missionary Ridge – 25th November 1863 443

Mine Run – 26th to 30th November 1863 444

IV – CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE MAPS - 1864 445

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 29th to 31st March 1864 445

Wilderness – 5th & 6th May 1864 446

Battle of the Wilderness – 5th May 1864 – Positions 7 A.M. 447

Battle of the Wilderness – 5th May 1864 - Actions 448

Battle of the Wilderness – 6th May 1864 – Actions 5 A.M. 449

Battle of the Wilderness – 6th May 1864 – Actions 6 A.M. 450

Battle of the Wilderness – 6th May 1864 – Actions 11 A.M. 451

Battle of the Wilderness – 6th May 1864 – Actions 2 P.M. 452

Spotsylvania – 8th to 21st May 1864 453

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 7th & 8th May 1864 - Movements 454

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 8th May 1864 - Actions 455

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 9th May 1864 - Actions 456

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 10th May 1864 - Actions 457

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 12th May 1864 - Actions 458

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 13th May 1864 - Actions 459

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House – 17th May 1864 - Actions 460

North Anna – 23rd to 26th May 1864 461

Battle of North Anna – 23rd May 1864 462

Battle of North Anna – 24th May 1864 463

Battle of North Anna – 25th May 1864 464

Battle of Haw’s Shop – 28th May 1864 465

Battle of Bethseda Church (1) – 30th May 1864 466

Battle of Bethseda Church (2) – 30th May 1864 467

Cold Harbor – 31st May to 12th June 1864 468

Battle of Cold Harbor – 1st June 1864 469

Battle of Cold Harbor – 3rd June 1864 470

Pickett’s Mills and New Hope Church – 25th to 27th May 1864 471

Battle of Kennesaw Mountain – 27th June 1864 472

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 15th to 18th June 1864 473

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 21st to 22nd June 1864 474

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 30th July 1864 475

Wilson-Kautz Raid – 22nd June to 1st July 1864 476

First Battle of Deep Bottom – 27th to 29th July 1864 477

Second Battle of Deep Bottom – 14th to 20th August 1864 478

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 18th to 19th August 1864 479

Opequon, or Winchester, Va. – 19th September 1864 480

Fisher’s Hill – 22nd September 1864 481

Siege of Petersburg – Actions 27th October 1864 482

Cedar Creek – 19th October 1864 483

Battle of Cedar Creek – 19th October 1864 5-9 A.M. Confederate Attacks 484

Battle of Spring Hill – 29th November 1864 – Afternoon 485

Battle of Spring Hill – 29th November 1864 – Evening 486

Battle of Cedar Creek – 19th October 1864 4-5 P.M. Union Counterattack 487

Franklin – 30th November 1864 488

Battle of Franklin – Hood’s Approach 30th November 1864 489

Battle of Franklin – 30th November 1864 Actions after 4.30 P.M. 490

Nashville – 15th & 16th December 1864 491

V – OVERVIEWS 492

1 – Map of the States that Succeeded – 1860-1861 492

Fort Henry Campaign – February 1862 493

Forts Henry and Donelson – February 1862 494

Jackson’s Valley Campaign – 23rd March to 8th May 1862 495

Peninsula Campaign – 17th March to 31st May 1862 496

Jackson’s Valley Campaign – 21st May to 9th June 1862 497

Northern Virginia Campaign – 7th to 28th August 1862 498

Maryland Campaign – September 1862 499

Iuka-Corinth Campaign – First Phase – 10th to 19th September 1862 500

Iuka-Corinth Campaign – Second Phase – 20th September – 3rd October 1862 501

Fredericksburg Campaign – Movements mid-November to 10th December 1862 502

Memphis to Vicksburg – 1862-1863 503

Operations Against Vicksburg and Grant’s Bayou Operations – November 1862 to April 1863 504

Campaign Against Vicksburg – 1863 505

Grant’s Operations Against Vicksburg – April to July 1863 506

Knoxville Campaign - 1863 507

Tullahoma Campaign – 24th June – 3rd July 1863 508

Gettysburg Campaign – Retreat 5th to 14th July 1863 509

Rosecrans’ Manoeuvre – 20th August to 17th September 1963 510

Bristoe Campaign – 9th October to 9th November 1863 511

Mine Run Campaign – 27th November 1863 – 2nd December 1863 512

Grant’s Overland Campaign – Wilderness to North Anna - 1864 513

Grant’s Overland Campaign – May to June 1864 514

Overland Campaign – 4th  May 1864 515

Overland Campaign – 27th to 29th May 1864 516

Overland Campaign –29th to 30th May 1864 517

Overland Campaign – 1st June 1864 – Afternoon 518

Sheridan’s Richmond Raid – 9th to 14th May 1864 519

Sheridan’s Trevilian Station Raid – 7th to 10th June 1864 520

Sheridan’s Trevilian Station Raid – 7th to 10th June 1864 521

Battle of Trevilian Station Raid – 11th June 1864 522

Battle of Trevilian Station Raid – 12th June 1864 523

Shenandoah Valley Campaign – May to July 1864 524

Operations about Marietta – 14th to 28th June 1864 525

Atlanta Campaign – 7th May to 2nd July 1864 526

Operations about Atlanta – 17th July to 2nd September 1864 527

Richmond-Petersburg Campaign – Position Fall 1864 528

Shenandoah Valley Campaign – 20th August – October 1864 529

Sherman’s March to the Sea 530

Franklin-Nashville Campaign – 21st to 28th November 1864 531

Operations about Petersburg – June 1864 to April 1865 532

Carolinas Campaign – February to April 1865 533

Appomattox Campaign - 1865 534

DEDICATION

TO MY COMRADES OF THE UNION ARMY AND NAVY, WHOSE VALOR SAVED THE REPUBLIC, THIS BOOK IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED

MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS

ULYSSES S. GRANT AS LIEUTENANT-GENERAL

GENERAL GRANT AT THE HEADQUARTERS OF GENERAL THOMAS

VIEW OF CHATTANOOGA AND MOCCASIN POINT FROM THE SIDE OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN

MAJOR-GENERAL GEORGE G. MEADE

GRANT'S HEADQUARTERS IN THE WILDERNESS

GENERAL HORACE PORTER

GENERAL GRANT RECONNOITERING THE CONFEDERATE POSITION AT SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT-HOUSE

MAJOR-GENERAL JOHN SEDOWICK, KILLED AT SPOTTSYLVANIA, IN THE WILDERNESS CAMPAIGN, MAY 9, 1864   88

LETTER FROM U. S. GRANT TO MAJOR-GENERAL HALLECK

GENERAL GRANT AND THE WOUNDED CONFEDERATE

MAJOR-GENERAL HENRY W. HALLECK

GRANT AND HIS STAFF AT BETHESDA CHURCH

MAP OF THE CONFEDERATE POSITIONS AT THE NORTH ANNA AND AT COLD HARBOR, ETC

GRANT'S ARMY CROSSING THE JAMES RIVER

MAP OF THE PETERSBURG AND APPOMATTOX CAMPAIGNS

MAP OF THE VIRGINIA CAMPAIGNS OF 1864-65

GENERAL GRANT HASTENING TO ORDER THE RECALL OF THE ASSAULTING COLUMN

W. T. SHERMAN.

GRANT UNDER FIRE AT FORT HARRISON

MAP OF OPERATIONS IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE AND NORTH ALABAMA AND GEORGIA, 1863-65

MAJOR-GENERAL GEORGE H. THOMAS

GRANT'S WINTER HEADQUARTERS AT CITY POINT.

GENERAL GRANT'S CABIN, FORMERLY HEADQUARTERS AT CITY POINT

ELIHU B. WASHBURNE

PRESIDENT LINCOLN AND GENERAL GRANT INSPECT A BODY OF PRISONERS CAPTURED ON THE PETERSBURG FRONT

P: H. SHERIDAN

SHERIDAN AND HIS GENERALS RECONNOITERING AT FIVE FORKS

VISIT OF PRESIDENT LINCOLN, ADMIRAL PORTER, AND TAD LINCOLN, TO GENERAL GRANT AT THE WALLACE HOUSE IN PETERSBURG

GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE

THE SOFA IN THE MCLEAN HOUSE

TABLE AT WHICH LEE SAT

CHAIR IN WHICH LEE SAT

CHAIR IN WHICH GRANT SAT

TABLE ON WHICH GRANT WROTE THE ARTICLES OF SURRENDER

GRANT AT APPOMATTOX

U. S. GRANT.

Preface

The object aimed at in this narrative is to recount the daily acts of General Grant in the field, to describe minutely his personal traits and habits, and to explain the motives which actuated him in important crises by giving his criticisms upon events in the language employed by him at the time they took place.

The chief effort of the author has been to enable readers to view the Union commander nearby, and to bring them into such intimate contact with him that they may know him as familiarly as those who served by his side. It has been no part of the author’s purpose to give a detailed history of the campaigns referred to, but to describe the military movements only so far as necessary to show General Grant’s intentions and plans and the general results of his operations. Mention of particular commands, subordinate commanders, and topographical features, therefore, had to be in large measure omitted.

While serving as a personal aid to the general-in-chief the author early acquired the habit of making careful and elaborate notes of everything of interest which came under his observation, and these reminiscences are simply a transcript of memoranda jotted down at the time.

The Author.

Chapter 1

My First Meeting With General Grant — A Conference At Thomas’s Headquarters — Grant’s Manner Of Writing Despatches — Opening The Cracker Line — Grant Saluted By The Enemy — Grant’s Personal Appearance

While sitting in my quarters in the little town of Chattanooga, Tennessee, about an hour after nightfall, Friday, October 23, 1863, an orderly brought me a message from General George H. Thomas, Commander of the Army of the Cumberland, on whose staff I was serving, summoning me to headquarters. A storm had been raging for two days, and a chilling rain was still falling. A few minutes’ walk brought me to the plain wooden, one-story dwelling occupied by the commander, which was situated on Walnut street, near Fourth, and upon my arrival I found him in the front room on the left side of the hall, with three members of his staff and several strange officers. In an arm-chair facing the fireplace was seated a general officer, slight in figure and of medium stature, whose face bore an expression of weariness. He was carelessly dressed, and his uniform coat was unbuttoned and thrown back from his chest. He held a lighted cigar in his mouth, and sat in a stooping posture, with his head bent slightly forward. His clothes were wet, and his trousers and top-boots were spattered with mud. General Thomas approached this officer, and, turning to me and mentioning me by name, said, I want to present you to General Grant. Thereupon the officer seated in the chair, without changing his position, glanced up, extended his arm to its full length, shook hands, and said in a low voice, and speaking slowly, How do you do? This was my first meeting with the man with whom I was destined afterward to spend so many of the most interesting years of my life.

The strange officers present were members of General Grant’s staff. Charles A. Dana, Assistant Secretary of War, who had been for some time with the Army of the Cumberland, had also entered the room. The next morning he sent a despatch to the War Department, beginning with the words, Grant arrived last night, wet, dirty, and well.

On the 19th of October General Grant’s command had been enlarged so as to cover the newly created military division of the Mississippi, embracing nearly the entire field of operations between the Alleghanies and the Mississippi River, and the Army of the Cumberland had thus been placed under his control. About a month before, that army, after having fought at Chickamauga one of the most gallantly contested and sanguinary battles in the annals of warfare, had fallen back and taken up a defensive position on the south side of the Tennessee River, inclosing within its lines the village of Chattanooga. The opposing forces, under General Bragg, had invested this position, and established such a close siege that the lines of supply had been virtually cut off, rations and forage were about exhausted, and almost the last tree-stump had been used for fuel. Most of the men were without overcoats, and some without shoes; ten thousand animals had died of starvation, and the gloom and despondency had been increased by the approach of cold weather and the appearance of the autumn storms.

General Grant, upon assuming the responsibilities of his new command, had fully realized the critical condition of the Army of the Cumberland, and had set out at once for its headquarters to take charge in person of its future operations. On his way to the front he had telegraphed General Thomas, from Louisville, to hold Chattanooga at all hazards, to which that intrepid soldier made the famous reply, I will hold the town till we starve.

General Grant had started, the day before the incident I have described, from Bridgeport, a place thirty miles below Chattanooga, where the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad crosses the Tennessee River, and had ridden by way of Walden’s Ridge, the only route left open by which communication could be had with the beleaguered town. We had been advised that he was on his way, but hardly expected that he would reach Chattanooga that night, considering the state of the weather, the wretched condition of the roads, or rather bridle-paths, over the mountain, and the severe injury to his leg which had been caused by a fall of his horse several weeks before, and from which he was still suffering. When he arrived he had to be lifted from his saddle, and was evidently experiencing much pain, as his horse had slipped in coming down the mountain, and had further injured the lame leg; but the general showed less signs of fatigue than might have been supposed after his hard ride of two days under such trying circumstances.

As soon as General Grant had partaken of a light supper immediately after his arrival, General Thomas had sent for several general officers and most of the members of his staff to come to headquarters, and the room soon contained an exceedingly interesting group. A member of General Thomas’s staff quietly called that officer’s attention to the fact that the distinguished guest’s clothes were pretty wet and his boots were thoroughly soaked with rain after his long ride through the storm, and intimated that colds were usually no respecters of persons. General Thomas’s mind had been so intent upon receiving the commander, and arranging for a conference of officers, that he had entirely overlooked his guest’s travel-stained condition; but as soon as his attention was called to it, all of his old-time Virginia hospitality was aroused, and he at once begged his newly arrived chief to step into a bedroom and change his clothes. His urgings, however, were in vain. The general thanked him politely, but positively declined to make any additions to his personal comfort, except to light a fresh cigar. Afterward, however, he consented to draw his chair nearer to the wood fire which was burning in the chimney-place, and to thrust his feet forward to give his top-boots a chance to dry. The extent of his indulgence in personal comfort in the field did not seem to be much greater than that of bluff old Marshal Suvaroff, who, when he wished to give himself over to an excess of luxury, used to go so far as to take off one spur before going to bed.

At General Grant’s request, General Thomas, General William F. Smith, his chief engineer, commonly known in the army as Baldy Smith, and others, pointed out on a large map the various positions of the troops, and described the general situation. General Grant sat for some time as immovable as a rock and as silent as the sphinx, but listened attentively to all that was said. After a while he straightened himself up in his chair, his features assumed an air of animation, and in a tone of voice which manifested a deep interest in the discussion, he began to fire whole volleys of questions at the officers present. So intelligent were his inquiries, and so pertinent his suggestions, that he made a profound impression upon every one by the quickness of his perception and the knowledge which he had already acquired regarding important details of the army’s condition. His questions showed from the outset that his mind was dwelling not only upon the prompt opening of a line of supplies, but upon taking the offensive against the enemy. In this he was only manifesting one of his chief military characteristics — an inborn dislike to be thrown upon the defensive. Even when he had to defend a position, his method of warfare was always that of the offensive-defensive.

After talking over a plan for communicating with our base of supplies, or, as he called it in his conversation, opening up the cracker line, an operation which already had been projected and for which preliminary steps had been taken, he turned to me as chief of ordnance of the Army of the Cumberland, and asked, How much ammunition is there on hand I replied, There is barely enough here to fight one day’s battle, but an ample supply has been accumulated at Bridgeport to await the opening of communications.

At about half-past 9 o’clock he appeared to have finished his search after information for the time being, and turning to a table, began to write telegrams. Communication by wire had been kept open during all the siege. His first despatch was to General Halleck, the general-in-chief at Washington, and read: Have just arrived; I will write tomorrow. Please approve order placing Sherman in command of Department of the Tennessee, with headquarters in the field. He had scarcely begun to exercise the authority conferred upon him by his new promotion when his mind turned to securing advancement for Sherman, who had been his second in command in the Army of the Tennessee.

It was more than an hour later when he retired to bed in an adjoining room to get a much-needed rest. As he arose and walked across the floor his lameness was very perceptible. Before the company departed he had made an appointment with Generals Thomas and Smith and several staff-officers to accompany him the next day to make a personal inspection of the lines. Early on the morning of the 24th the party set out from headquarters, and most of the day was spent in examining our lines and obtaining a view of the enemy’s position. At Brown’s Ferry General Grant dismounted and went to the river’s edge on foot, and made his reconnaissance of that important part of the line in full view of the enemy’s pickets on the opposite bank, but, singularly enough, he was not fired upon.

Being informed that the general wished to see me that evening, I went into the room he was occupying at headquarters, and found two of his staff-officers seated near him. As I entered he gave a slight nod of the head by way of recognition, and pointing to a chair, said rather bluntly, but politely, Sit down. In reply to a question which he asked, I gave him some information he desired in regard to the character and location of certain heavy guns which I had recently assisted in putting in position on the advanced portion of our lines, and the kind and amount of artillery ammunition. He soon after began to write despatches, and I arose to go, but resumed my seat as he said, Sit still. My attention was soon attracted to the manner in which he went to work at his correspondence. At this time, as throughout his later career, he wrote nearly all his documents with his own hand, and seldom dictated to any one even the most unimportant despatch. His work was performed swiftly and uninterruptedly, but without any marked display of nervous energy. His thoughts flowed as freely from his mind as the ink from his pen; he was never at a loss for an expression, and seldom interlined a word or made a material correction. He sat with his head bent low over the table, and when he had occasion to step to another table or desk to get a paper he wanted, he would glide rapidly across the room without straightening himself, and return to his seat with his body still bent over at about the same angle at which he had been sitting when he left his chair. Upon this occasion he tossed the sheets of paper across the table as he finished them, leaving them in the wildest disorder. When he had completed the despatch, he gathered up the scattered sheets, read them over rapidly, and arranged them in their proper order. Turning to me after a time, he said, Perhaps you might like to read what I am sending. I thanked him, and in looking over the despatches I found that he was ordering up Sherman’s entire force from Corinth to within supporting distance, and was informing Halleck of the dispositions decided upon for the opening of a line of supplies, and assuring him that everything possible would be done for the relief of Burnside in east Tennessee. Directions were also given for the taking of vigorous and comprehensive steps in every direction throughout his new and extensive command. At a late hour, after having given further directions in regard to the contemplated movement for the opening of the route from Bridgeport to Chattanooga, and in the meantime sending back to be foraged all the animals that could be spared, he bid those present a pleasant good night, and limped off to his bedroom.

I cannot dwell too forcibly on the deep impression made upon those who had come in contact for the first time with the new commander, by the exhibition they witnessed of his singular mental powers and his rare military qualities. Coming to us crowned with the laurels he had gained in the brilliant campaign of Vicksburg, we naturally expected to meet a well-equipped soldier, but hardly anybody was prepared to find one who had the grasp, the promptness of decision, and the general administrative capacity which he displayed at the very start as commander of an extensive military division, in which many complicated problems were presented for immediate solution.

After remaining three days as General Thomas’s guest, General Grant established his headquarters in a modest-looking two-story frame-house on the bluff near the river, situated on what is now known as First street. In the evening of the 26th I spent some time in the front room on the left side of the hall, which he used as his office, and in which several members of his staff were seated with him. It was a memorable night in the history of the siege, for the troops were being put in motion for the hazardous attempt to open the river route to our base of supplies at Bridgeport. The general sat at a table, smoking, and writing despatches. After finishing several telegrams and giving some directions to his staff, he began to describe the probabilities of the chances of the expedition down the river, expressing a confident belief in its success. General W. F. Smith, who had been so closely identified with the project, was given command of the movement. At midnight he began his march down the north bank of the river with 2800 men. At three o’clock on the morning of the 27th, Hazen started silently down the stream, with his pontoons carrying 1800 men; at five he made a landing at Brown’s Ferry, completely surprising the guard at that point, and taking most of them prisoners; at seven o’clock Smith’s force had been ferried across, and began to fortify a strong position; and at ten a bridge had been completed. Hooker’s advance, coming up from Bridgeport, arrived the next afternoon, the 28th, at Brown’s Ferry. The river was now open from Bridgeport to Kelley’s Ferry, and the wagon road from that point to Chattanooga by way of Brown’s Ferry, about eight miles in length, was in our possession. The success of the movement had been prompt and complete, and there was now established a good line of communication with our base. This changed condition of affairs had been accomplished within five days after General Grant’s arrival at the front.

As soon as the enemy recovered from his surprise, he woke up to the importance of the achievement; Longstreet was despatched to retrieve, if possible, the lost ground. His troops reached Wauhatchie in the night of the 28th, and made an attack upon Geary’s division of Hooker’s forces. The fight raged for about three hours, but Geary succeeded in holding his ground against greatly superior numbers. During the fight Geary’s teamsters had become scared, and had deserted their teams, and the mules, stampeded by the sound of battle raging about them, had broken loose from their wagons and run away. Fortunately for their reputation and the safety of the command, they started toward the enemy, and with heads down and tails up, with trace-chains rattling and whiffletrees snapping over the stumps of trees, they rushed pell-mell upon Longstreet’s bewildered men. Believing it to be an impetuous charge of cavalry, his line broke and fled. The quartermaster in charge of the animals, not willing to see such distinguished services go unrewarded, sent in the following communication: I respectfully request that the mules, for their gallantry in this action, may have conferred upon them the brevet rank of horses. Brevets in the army were being bestowed pretty freely at the time, and when this recommendation was reported to General Grant he laughed heartily at the humor of the suggestion. Our loss in the battle, including killed, wounded, and missing, was only 422 men. The enemy never made a further attempt to interrupt our communications.

The much-needed supplies, which had been hurried forward to Bridgeport in anticipation of this movement, soon reached the army, and the rejoicing among the troops manifested itself in lively demonstrations of delight. Every man now felt that he was no longer to remain on the defensive, but was being supplied and equipped for a forward movement against his old foe, whom he had driven from the Ohio to the Cumberland, and from the Cumberland to the Tennessee.

As soon as communication had been opened with our base of supplies, General Grant manifested an eagerness to acquaint himself minutely with the position of the enemy, with a view to taking the offensive. One morning he started toward our right, with several staff-officers, to make a personal examination of that portion of the line. When he came in sight of Chattanooga Creek, which separated our pickets from those of the enemy, he directed those who had accompanied him to halt and remain out of sight while he advanced alone, which he supposed he could do without attracting much attention. The pickets were within hailing distance of one another on opposite banks of the creek. They had established a temporary truce on their own responsibility, and the men of each army were allowed to get water from the same stream without being fired upon by those on the other side. A sentinel of our picket-guard recognized General Grant as he approached, and gave the customary cry, Turn out the guard — commanding general! The enemy on the opposite side of the creek evidently heard the words, and one of his sentinels cried out, Turn out the guard—General Grant! The confederate guard took up the joke, and promptly formed, facing our line, and presented arms. The general returned the salute by lifting his hat, the guard was then dismissed, and he continued his ride toward our left. We knew that we were engaged in a civil war, but such civility largely exceeded our expectations.

In company with General Thomas and other members of his staff, I was brought into almost daily contact with General Grant, and became intensely interested in the progress of the plans he was maturing for dealing with the enemy at all points of the theater of war lying within his command. Early in November instructions came from the Secretary of War calling me to Washington, and in accordance therewith General Thomas issued an order relieving me from duty with his army.{1}

I had heard through personal letters that the Secretary wished to reorganize the Ordnance Bureau at Washington, and wished my services in that connection on account of my long experience in that department in the field. The order was interpreted as a compliment, but was distasteful to me for many reasons, although I understood that the assignment was to be only temporary, and it was at a season when active operations in the field were usually suspended. It was a subject of much regret to leave General Thomas, for I had become greatly attached to him, and had acquired that respect and admiration for the character of this distinguished soldier which was felt by all who had ever come in contact with him. Old Pap Thomas, as we all loved to call him, was more of a father than a commander to the younger officers who served under his immediate command, and he possessed their warmest affections. He and his corps commanders now made a written appeal to General Grant, requesting him to intercede and endeavor to retain me in the command. In the evening of the 5th of November I was sent for by General Grant to come to his headquarters. On my arrival, he requested me to be seated at the opposite side of the table at which he sat smoking, offered me a cigar, and said: I was sorry to see the order of the Secretary of War calling you to Washington. I have had some other views in mind regarding your services, and I still hope that I may be able to secure the recall of the order, and to have you assigned to duty with me, if that would be agreeable to you. I replied eagerly, Nothing could possibly be more agreeable, and I should feel most highly honored by such an assignment. He went on to say, With this step in view, I have just written a letter to the general-in-chief, which he then handed me to read.{2}

Hardly allowing me to finish my expressions of surprise and gratification, he continued: Of course, you will have to obey your present orders and proceed to Washington. I want you to take this letter with you, and see that it is put into the hands of General Halleck; perhaps you will soon be able to rejoin me here. My requests are not always complied with at headquarters, but I have written pretty strongly in this case, and I hope favorable action may be taken. I replied that I would make my preparations at once to start East, and then withdrew. The next day I called to bid the general good-by, and, after taking leave of General Thomas and my comrades on the staff, set out for the capital by way of the new line of communication which had just been opened.

A description of General Grant’s personal appearance at this important period of his career may not be out of place here, particularly as up to that time the public had received such erroneous impressions of him. There were then few correct portraits of him in circulation. Some of the earliest pictures purporting to be photographs of him had been manufactured when he was at the distant front, never stopping in one place long enough to be focused. Nothing daunted, the practisers of that art which is the chief solace of the vain had photographed a burly beef-contractor, and spread the pictures broadcast as representing the determined, but rather robust, features of the coming hero, and it was some time before the real photographs which followed were believed to be genuine. False impressions of him were derived, too, from the fact that he had come forth from a country leather store, and was famous chiefly for striking sledge-hammer blows in the field, and conducting relentless pursuits of his foes through the swamps of the Southwest. He was pictured in the popular mind as striding about in the most approved swash-buckler style of melodrama. Many of us were not a little surprised to find in him a man of slim figure, slightly stooped, five feet eight inches in height, weighing only a hundred and thirty-five pounds, and of a modesty of mien and gentleness of manner which seemed to fit him more for the court than for the camp. His eyes were dark-gray, and were the most expressive of his features. Like nearly all men who speak little, he was a